Downes (FF 1070) - Naval Cruise Book

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DOWNES reached San Diego from Norfolk 24 November 1937 and based there for exercises along the west coast, in the Caribbean, and in the Hawaiian Islands until April 1940, when Pearl Harbor became her homeport. In March and April 1941 she joined in a cruise to Samoa, Fiji, and Australia, and visited the west coast later in the year. . . . THE TRAGEDY . . . When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, DOWNES was in drydock with CASSIN (DD-372) and PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38). The three came under heavy attack and an incendiary bomb landed between the two destroyers, starting raging fires fed by oil from a ruptured fuel tank. Despite heavy strafing, the crews of the two destroyers got their batteries into action, driving off further attacks by Japanese planes. The drydock was flooded in an effort to quench the fires, but the burning oil rose with the water level and, when the ammunition and torpedo warheads on board the destroyers began to explode, the two ships were abandoned. Later CASSINI slipped from her keel blocks and rested against the DOWNES. Listed at first as complete losses, both of these destroyers lived to fight again. Salvage operations were soon begun on DOWNES with machinery and other salvage- able equipment being shipped to Mare Island Navy Yard. She was officially decommis- sioned 20 June 1942.

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DOWNES arrived at Brest, France, 6 December 1918 to meet and escort President Wilson, embarked in GEORGE WASHING- TON, passing in review before returning to Queenstown 14 December. The day after Christmas she sailed for the United States, arriving at Norfolk 18 January 1919. After v inter maneuvers in Cuban waters, she returned to New York on 14 March. DOWNES reported to Norfolk 5 May 1919 for overhaul and on 31 May was placed in ordinary. Returned to full commission, she sailed for Newport, Rhode Island, 12 May 1921 for summer maneuvers. Between 22 October and 20 March 1922 she lay at Charleston, South Carolina, and on 24 March arrived at Philadelphia Navy Yard. DOWNES was placed out of commission there 6 June 1924. Rescrapped and sold 22 August 1934 in accordance with the London Treaty for the reduction and limitation of naval armament. The second DOWNES (DD-375) was built at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Her keel was laid on 15 August 1934, and she was launched 22 April 1936 under the sponsorship of Miss S. F. Downes, descen- dant of Captain Downes. She was commis- sioned 15 January 1937, Commander C. H. Roper in command. DOWNES (DD-375) had a length overall of 341 feet, 4 inches; extreme beam 35 feet; standard displacement 1 ,500 tons; mean draft 9 feet, 10 inches; designed speed 36.5 knots; and a designed complement of 8 officers and 150 enlisted. Her initial armament was five 5-inch .38 caliber guns, and twelve 21 -inch torpedo tubes. For anti-submarine warfare, she carried four depth charge projectors.

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Rebuilt and recommissioned at Mare Island on 15 November 1943, DOWNES sailed from San Francisco 8 March to escort convoys to Pearl Harbor and on to Majuro, arriving 26 March. She v as assigned to blockade the bypassed Japanese stronghold, Wotje Atoll, until 5 April, then, after replenishing at Pearl Harbor, arrived at Eniwetok 6 May as harbor entrance control vessel and task unit commander for the offshore patrol. During this duty she rescued a pilot in the lagoon at Eniwetok and four crew men off Ponape, Caroline Islands. In July DOWNES began convoy duty from Eniwetok to Saipan in support of the Marianas operation, then patrolled off Tinian during its invasion. She gave fire support during the mopping up operation off Marpi Point, Tinian, and bombarded off Marcus Island as a diversion for carrier air strikes on the Nansei Shoto. DOWNES sailed from Saipan 1 4 October 1 944 to join Task Group 38.1 two days later in a search for Japanese ships which Admiral W. F. Halsey hoped to lure into the open with damaged cruisers CANBERRA (CA-70) and HOUSTON (CL-81). The task group returned to Leyte to support the landings there 20 October. DOWNES sailed the same day for Ulithi, but was recalled to screen the carriers during the air strikes on the Japanese Fleet In the epic battle for Leyte Gulf. She was detached again 27 October and sailed to Ulithi for replenishment. Continuing to Pearl Harbor for overhaul, DOWNES returned to Ulithi 29 March 1945 escorting a convoy, then sailed for Guam. From 5 April to 5 June she operated in the Marianas on patrol, air-sea rescue, submarine training, and escort duty. She served at Iwo Jima on similar duty from 9 June. With the end of the war, DOWNES was ordered to return to the United States and sailed from Iwo Jima 19 September with homeward bound ser- vicemen on board. She touched at San Pedro, California, called at Beaumont, Texas, for Navy Day celebrations and arrived at Norfolk on 5 November. DOWNES was decommissioned at Norfolk on 17 December 1945 and remained in reserve until her name was stricken from the List of Navy Ships on 28 January 1947. She was sold for scrapping on 18 November 1947 to Hugo Neu Corporation, New York. DOWNES (DD-375) earned four battle stars and other awards for operations listed below; 1 Star PEARL HARBOR - MIDWAY: 7 December 1941 1 Star MARIANAS OPERATION: Capture and Occupation of Saipan 28 July - 11 August 1944 1 Star ASIATIC - PACIFIC RAIDS: Bombardment of Marcus Island 9 October 1944 1 Star LEYTE OPERATION: Luzon attacks 1 7 October - 1 9 October 1 944 NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL (Asia): 2 - 29 September 1945 the